‘The Most Brilliant Commander': Ngo Quang Truong

Ngo Quang Truong died of cancer on January 22, 2007, in Fairfax, Virginia. Shortly after his death, the Virginia Legislature passed a Joint Resolution “Celebrating the Life of Ngo Quang Truong.” This singular honor for a man who came to this country in 1975 was clearly justified by the sacrifices that Truong made in defense of his South Vietnamese homeland and the exemplary life that he lived both before and after coming to his adopted country. He was considered one of the most honest and capable generals of the South Vietnamese army during the long war in Southeast Asia. General Bruce Palmer described him in his book The 25-Year War as a “tough, seasoned, fighting leader” and “probably the best field commander in South Vietnam.” General Creighton Abrams, who commanded American military operations in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972, told subordinates that he thought General Truong was capable of commanding an American division.

Truong was born on December 19, 1929, to a well-to-do family in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Hoa. After graduating from My Tho College, he attended the reserve officer school at Thu Duc, then received his commission as an infantry officer in the South Vietnamese Army in 1954. Truong went immediately to airborne school and spent the next 12 years in the elite airborne brigade, first assigned as commander of 1st Company, 5th Airborne Battalion.

He soon saw action in a 1955 operation to eliminate the Binh Xuyen river pirates who were vying with President Ngo Dinh Diem’s government for control of Saigon and the surrounding area. For his role in this operation, he was awarded a battlefield promotion to first lieutenant. In 1964, promoted to major and appointed commander of the 5th Airborne Battalion, he led a heliborne assault into the Do Xa Secret Zone in Minh Long district, Quang Ngai province, shattering the base area of the Viet Cong’s B-1 Front Headquarters. Meanwhile, Truong built a reputation as a charismatic leader who led from the front and took care of his soldiers.

The 5th Airborne Battalion, still under his command, conducted a helicopter assault in 1965 into the Hac Dich Secret Zone in the area of Ong Trinh Mountain in Phuoc Tuy (Ba Ria) province, the base area of the VC’s 7th Division. After two days of fighting during which his battalion inflicted heavy losses on two enemy regiments, Truong received a battlefield promotion to lieutenant colonel and was also awarded the National Defense Medal, Fourth Class.

After the Hac Dich battle, Truong was assigned as chief of staff of the Airborne Brigade and then became chief of staff of the Airborne Division in late 1965. As historian Dale Andradé points out, this noncombat position might have stagnated his career, but his reputation for bravery and fairness got him noticed by the top brass in Saigon. General Cao Van Vien, chief of the South Vietnamese Joint General Staff from 1965 to 1975, later described Truong as “one of the best commanders at every echelon the Airborne Division ever had.”

In 1966, when violent civil disorders broke out in central Vietnam, he was appointed acting commander of the 1st Infantry Division in Hue. Although Truong, a Buddhist, was uncomfortable commanding a unit charged with quelling demonstrations by Buddhists protesting military control of the government, he carried out his duties with professionalism, and Saigon made the appointment permanent. With his hands-on leadership, Truong quickly molded the division, which had a poor reputation prior to his arrival, into one of the best units in the South Vietnamese army. Lieutenant General Robert E. Cushman, commander of III Marine Amphibious Force in I Corps Tactical Zone, and his principal subordinate, Lt. Gen. Richard G. Stilwell, commander of XXIV Corps, both felt that because of Truong’s efforts, the ARVN 1st Division was “equal to any American unit.”

His American adviser at the time wrote that Truong was “dedicated, humble, imaginative and tactically sound.” And General William C. Westmoreland, commander of Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, said that Truong “would rate high on any list of capable South Vietnamese leaders.”

In 1967 Truong’s units of the 1st Infantry Division attacked and destroyed the Viet Cong infrastructure and a large number of guerrilla forces of the Luong Co–Dong Xuyen–My Xa Front in Huong Tra district, Thua Thien province. After this, he was promoted to brigadier general.

During the Tet Offensive of 1968, General Truong commanded the 1st Division during some of the war’s bloodiest fighting in Hue. Two nights before the offensive began, Truong, at his headquarters in the old Imperial capital, sensed something amiss and put his troops on alert. When the night passed uneventfully, he dismissed his advisers but kept his troops ready.

The battle began at 0330 hours on January 31, 1968, with two battalions of the North Vietnamese Army’s 6th Regiment attacking the old Imperial capital and the 4th NVA Regiment attacking the U.S. MACV compound in the “New City” south of the Perfume River. General Truong, whose Hac Bao reaction company had managed to hold the division headquarters compound against the initial assault, immediately ordered his 3rd Regiment, then on an operation north of the city, to come to his relief. The regiment, reinforced by three ARVN airborne battalions, reached his headquarters in the Citadel’s northeast corner on the evening of January 31. The next day, Truong began an attack to retake the entire Citadel and clear the north bank of the river. At his request, U.S. Marines were committed to clear the south bank of the river.

On February 4, the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, reinforced by the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, began fighting house-to-house to drive the enemy from the area. By February 9, the south bank had been cleared. When the ARVN 1st Division attack north of the river stalled on February 12, the division was reinforced by two Vietnamese marine battalions. Truong also asked for U.S. assistance, and the U.S. 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, was committed to the fight. Together, the U.S Marines and South Vietnamese soldiers and marines fought house to house to force the enemy out of the area. On March 2, 1968, the battle of Hue was officially at an end. More than 50 percent of the city had been either damaged or destroyed. ARVN and Republic of Vietnam Marine Corps casualties included 384 killed and 1,830 wounded; the U.S. Marines suffered 142 killed and 857 wounded. The U.S. Army suffered 74 killed and 507 wounded in fighting outside the city.

As usual, Truong had performed magnificently, directing his troops in a calm but charismatic fashion. Lieutenant General Cushman, who became his close friend after working with him, described Truong’s performance during the battle: “He survived with the enemy all around him. They never took his command post, but they took the rest of the Citadel.”

After Tet, Truong was given a special promotion to the rank of major general. In August 1970, he was assigned to command IV Corps headquartered at Can Tho in the Mekong Delta (Military Region 4). In June 1971, he was promoted to lieutenant general.

As commander of the ARVN forces in the Mekong Delta, Truong’s strategy was to establish a system of outposts along the Cambodian border to interdict movement of Communist troops and supplies into the area, while his three assigned divisions broke into regimental-sized combined arms task forces and conducted operations to find and destroy enemy forces in their traditional strongholds located throughout the region. The scrupulously honest Truong meanwhile launched a campaign against “ghost” and “ornamental” soldiers, deserters and draft-dodgers in the IV Corps zone. He also increased the capability of the Regional Forces and Popular Forces in his area, making them an integral part of the defensive plan for the security of the Mekong Delta.

On March 30, 1972, the North Vietnamese launched their “Easter Offensive.” The attacking force included 14 infantry divisions and 26 separate regiments, with more than 120,000 troops and about 1,200 tanks and other armored vehicles. The main NVA objectives were Quang Tri in the north, Kontum in the Central Highlands and An Loc farther south in Military Region III.

The attack began at noon on Good Friday, with heavy artillery strikes on all the firebases in the I Corps area south of the demilitarized zone. The next day, three divisions from the North Vietnamese B-5 Front struck the string of ARVN firebases just south of the DMZ, which were manned by the green ARVN 3rd Division. The South Vietnamese troops, outnumbered 3-to-1, fell back as the North Viet­namese pushed south. As firebase after firebase fell to the 40,000 NVA, Quang Tri Combat Base was threatened and ultimately evacuated in the face of the attack. In the bitter fighting, the ARVN 3rd Division was shattered and ceased to exist as a viable fighting force.

On May 1, 1972, Communist troops captured Quang Tri City, the first provincial capital to fall during their offensive. This gave the North Vietnamese control of the surrounding province, and they continued the attack to the south.

Realizing the dire circumstances, President Nguyen Van Thieu relieved I Corps commander Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Lam, who had been unable to stop the North Vietnamese advance, and ordered General Truong to assume command of I Corps. Truong left his IV Corps headquarters at Can Tho and arrived in Da Nang on May 3. Historian Lewis Sorley later wrote that the effects of the change in command were “electric.” Truong’s arrival helped calm the situation, and his mere presence gave new hope to the South Vietnamese forces in I Corps.

General Truong quickly took command, broadcasting an order that all military deserters who did not return to their units within 24 hours would be shot on sight. He went on television and promised that he would hold Hue and turn back the Communists. He put together a hand-picked staff and then moved his headquarters to Hue, which was beset by panic in the face of the continued North Vietnamese onslaught. Stabilizing the situation, he devised a comprehensive defense in depth to halt the NVA advance. At the same time, he initiated a program to refit and retrain the South Vietnamese units that had been so badly battered in the retreat from Quang Tri. Using new equipment provided by the United States, he put these units back together and gave them an accelerated training program.

By mid-May, the Hue defenses had been solidified, the situation had stabilized and the refurbished units were ready. Truong launched a counteroffensive with three divisions to retake lost ground, with the help of U.S. firepower, including strikes by B-52 bombers; close air support by Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps fighter-bombers; Army attack helicopters; and naval gunfire provided by the U.S. Seventh Fleet. It was a deliberate and slow process, but Truong’s forces routed six NVA divisions to retake Quang Tri on September 16. Many of the firebases along the DMZ were recaptured, and by the end of October the situation in I Corps had stabilized. With the recapture of Quang Tri and the ARVN steadfastness at Kontum and An Loc, the heart went out of the North Vietnamese offensive. Truong had completely turned the disastrous situation around in I Corps by the sheer force of his personal leadership.

In 1975 Truong faced his greatest challenge. The ARVN defenses in the Central Highlands collapsed in the face of a new North Vietnamese offensive. President Thieu ordered Truong to defend Hue to the death, and the general set about to strengthen the city’s defenses, preparing to make a stand there. However, a weeklong debate with Thieu and his senior military staff followed, highlighted by accusations, conflicting orders and impossible suggestions. During these discussions, Truong was told to abandon Hue, even though he was certain that it was still defensible. As he prepared to execute his latest order, it was countermanded at the last minute and he was ordered to hold Hue at all costs. As one observer told a Time magazine correspondent: “It was like a yo-yo. First, Thieu gave the order to pull back and defend Da Nang. Then he countermanded it and ordered that Hue be held. Then he changed his mind again and told the troops to withdraw.”

Confusion reigned. Truong did not receive his new orders well, but he tried to follow them the best he could. Nevertheless, the withdrawal from Hue became a disaster that rivaled the one in the Central Highlands in scope. Under shelling by heavy artillery, Truong’s forces fell apart. Because of the conflicting orders, lack of preparation and collapse of morale, the evacuation turned into a fiasco. Poor leadership in many units, the disintegration of unit integrity and concern over family members quickly led to panic and total chaos.

The situation in Da Nang was just as bad. As the city was shelled by artillery from two North Vietnamese divisions, Truong tried to direct an evacuation by sea. But pandemonium ensued, as panicked civilians and soldiers alike tried to escape to the south by any means possible. Da Nang fell to the Communists on March 30. In the process of abandoning a city of 3 million people, four regular divisions disintegrated, including the ARVN’s most elite: the 1st Infantry Division and the Marine Division.

Truong, who had desperately wanted to hold the line at Hue, was put in an untenable position by Thieu’s orders and counterorders. As Da Nang fell, he and his corps staff swam through the surf to the rescuing fleet of South Vietnamese boats. Truong was devastated by the loss of his forces, particularly his beloved ARVN 1st Division. Upon arriving in Saigon, he was reportedly hospitalized for a nervous breakdown. A U.S. Army officer who had worked closely with Truong heard what happened, tracked him down and arranged for his family to leave on an American ship as Saigon fell to the Communists.

The general’s family was split up for some time: His wife and older son made it to Fort Chaffee, Ark.; his daughters and middle son fled with a State Department employee to Seattle; and his youngest son, a 4-year-old who spoke no English, was at Camp Pendleton, Calif., for several weeks before his identity was established.

After reuniting, Truong and his family moved to Falls Church, Va. Once settled there, he wrote several historical studies on the Vietnam War for the U.S. Army Center of Military History. In 1983, the same year that he became a U.S. citizen, he moved to Springfield, Va. He worked as a computer analyst for the Association of American Railroads for 10 years until he retired in 1994.

Despite the outcome of the war in I Corps and the subsequent fall of South Vietnam, Truong’s reputation survived intact. General Norman Schwarzkopf called General Truong “the most brilliant tactical commander I have ever known” in his 1992 autobiography. “Simply by visualizing the terrain and drawing on his experience fighting the enemy for fifteen years,” he wrote, “Truong showed an uncanny ability to predict what they were going to do.”

Schwarzkopf added: “He did not look like my idea of a military genius: only five feet seven…very skinny, with hunched shoulders and a head that seemed too big for his body….His face was pinched and intense…and there was always a cigarette hanging from his lips. Yet he was revered by his officers and troops—and feared by those North Vietnamese commanders who knew of his ability.”

Unlike some South Vietnamese generals who had grown rich as they ascended the ranks, Truong was impeccably honest and, according to a close friend, led a “spartan and ascetic” life. Lieutenant General Cushman recalled that the general didn’t own a suit, and that his wife kept pigs behind his modest quarters in the military compound in Can Tho. As Cushman further described Truong, “He was imaginative and always looked for ways to improve his troops’ living conditions and family life.”

A humble man, Truong was an unselfish individual devoted to his profession. He was fiercely loyal to his subordinates, and was known for taking care of his soldiers, often flying through heavy fire to stand with them in the rain and mud during enemy attacks. He treated everyone the same and did not play favorites. There is a story that he refused to respond to a request to give his nephew a noncombat assignment, only to have the nephew later die in battle.

By all accounts, General Truong was an outstanding officer who deserved the remarkable reputation that he enjoyed among both South Vietnamese soldiers and American military officers. Ngo Quang Truong dedicated his life to his nation, and in the end, as General Palmer said, he “deserved a better fate” than watching it go down in defeat. May this warrior who always did his duty rest in peace.

Professor James H. Willbanks is the chairman of the Military History Department at the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College. He earned a Silver Star as a U.S. adviser at the Battle of An Loc. For further reading, see: A Better War, by Lewis Sorley; and Abandoning Vietnam, by James H. Willbanks.

This article was written by James H. Willbanks and originally published in the December 2007 issue of Vietnam Magazine. For more great articles, subscribe to Vietnam magazine today!

24 Responses

Very good example of a true soldier and leader.
Led from the front taking risks the same as his subordinates. Wish Vietnam had had more like him, it would probably be like Korea today, independent and self sufficient.

In an army that stood out for its incompetence, Gen. Truong was a giant among men. As Tru said above, it is refreshing to see an ARVN general who deserves praise receive it, albeit after his death.

Robert V., if you have read the news from Viet Nam lately, they are doing very well for themselves. You seem to have conflated North Korea and North Vietnam. Understandable, but the Viets are making great strides in modernizing their nation, and are both independent and self-sufficient.

I had the privilege to serve as an Advisor in the 7th Cavalry Squadron of the 1st ARVN Division when MG Truong commanded it. He was a superb leader and took more interest in what the Advisors thought and did than our Senior American officers. I will always respect and honor his memory.

Robert Valenzuela, I’ll have to disagree with you on your account that Vietnam would be more like Korea today had we had more people like him.
Remember this, South Vietnam was always leading in the war, we were doing well during the Tet Offensive, the U.S. entered later, and it was at the U.S. command that we didn’t “win” during 1968, we had every power to take over North VN. There was also unconditional surrender of the North Communist in 1973. It was because of the U.S. betrayal, by not supplying us with any more military aid (ammunition and equipment) that we eventually lost. Obviously this happened in 1972 after they traded us in to China after the Paris Peace Accords, agreeing not to aid us anymore.
Please look up “Black April” in Google and click on the first link.

General Ngo Quang Truong was a real hero. I always admire him.
My father, as many other old Vietnamese people currently live in the U.S., was an officer in the Army of Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), stayed in Vietnam after 1975, and was forced to spend several years in communist prison. I, as many other Vietnamese Americans, am proud of our ARVN as much as Americans are proud of the U.S. Military Forces. ARVN is absolutely not incompetent, and many American soldiers are real heroes who were good men and fought well during Vietnam war. ARVN has many good, honest, capable men. They are generals (Nguyen Viet Thanh, Nguyen Khoa Nam, Nguyen Van Hieu, Le Van Hung, Tran Van Hai). Many honorable generals are still alive (Du Quoc Dong, Le Minh Dao, Tran Ba Di, Ly Tong Ba, Tran Quang Khoi). Many honorable officers are Ho Ngoc Can, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Nguyen Phuong Thanh, Nguyen Ba Thong, Nguyen Manh Tuong, and many more unknown heroes. ARVN was not lack of true heroes, and it was not incompetent as someone may think.

I had the distinct privilege to brief General Truong in KeSach District, BaXuyen Province. He was knowledgeable, attentive, and honest to a fault. More importantly, when politically possible, he held his officers and staff to the same standard. However, I disagree with Ann, above…in April ’73 when I left VietNam, my counterpart, Nguyen Thanh Khoai, told me “it is a matter of time.” He knew that the hand writing was already on the wall and that it was not a so called sell out. Xin Loi.

Thank you General Truong for giving credit to the Americans that were there assisting the ARVN in the Battles of Quang Tri during the Easter Offensive and calling them by name. It means so much to me – especially since it has been the only reference that I have found on the Internet doing so.

Our own American military have given them no public credit whatsoever. But you did. Thank you. May you rest in peace.

Ngo, Lieutenant General Quang Truong, The Easter offensive of 1972. Washington DC: U.S. Army Center of Military History, 1980.

“In addition to support provided the U.S. Air Force, I Corps forces also received much assistance from the U.S. Army 11th Combat Aviation Group whose activities were closely coordinated with those of ARVN units. This group provided essential support with troop lift logistical support and gunships.”

As a Vietnamese myself I grownups in this war. To me General Truong is the finest General and finest human being in much way; we came to respect him not only for his bravery and tactical genius but most of all for his love for the nation and especially for his peoples. General Truong now passed away live me much more bitterness because my people and Vietnam as a nation have to live under this dictator ship. Mr. Jameel you have not take a closer look at this nation yet please look closer you’ll see.

Former Lieutenant General Ngo Quang Chief died in Virginia, southern East United States, three years after the war fight with lung cancer, aged 78 enjoy life. Soldiers in my life career, he assumes responsibility for command from high level captain, great captain, battalion chief, then chief of staff parachuting Lien Doan; before his infantry to hold the important positions such as From The first command Su Doan Binh, Commander of Military Region 4 Ðoàn 4 and strategy, then Commander of Military Region 1 and one Ðoàn strategies.

Special point where the general account that is outside of his soldiers, militia, officials of the Republic of Vietnam who also reminded to clean living his own bar. Also no one forget lifestyle preserve military discipline very strictly, but always full of loving-kindness expressed with the army and people. People close to General Ngo Quang General Manager referred to his suffering on the other hand, look to see enough of his design of a soul, a life of integrity that he has preserved square youth, in military time contingent, until the exile in the land. We can write a very thick book of anecdotes surrounding him and a general portrait of a strong general can be told to clean one of the few general leading the Army of the territory the Republic of Vietnam . In the military and in public opinion of them South Vietnam, people are a transmission rate of the general questions honest, “Best Thang (Nguyen Duc Thang), Second Primary (Phan Trong Chinh), Tam Thanh (Nguyen bar) from the head (Ngo Quang Manager). The four “general clean” the report stated name is Hawk, General Nguyen Viet Thanh died, and his three other lives “secluded,” held a revered noble attitude during the years in exile. Soldiers in the life industry, General Phan Trong Chinh had attended since 1960 coup, General Nguyen Duc Thang also been involved as the government ministers, only Mr. Ngo Quang Manager is a general pure, just all the adult life for the military. He is also a general standing political disputes. And that is what makes him a child army just respect, he has felt close
But everyone knows, the events April 30, 1975, history turned toward others. Are for general territory for talented people to be retired from this noble weapons, accept to live his life in exile. But in the circumstances, he remained true from the high bar in a quiet life. So far, sure he was freed without bringing their aggregate inch heart u down tuy?n stations.
I only know about General Ngo Quang head a little so; to admire his heart
report on the military victory that the Army units under the Republic of Vietnam of things he achieved. You know more than you would contribute additional materials, so that we together low a general guide memorial called the worth of his large army is. After the events April 30, 1975, there are many different way of looking at him, including questions, assumption about the time the last minute he commanded during the withdrawal of the mess. I never heard him on the free distribution of hearing questions and incorrect assumptions that, in the heart just more respect. But even more ways to what we can not deny he was one of the few general territory dedicated contributions of many workers in the construction of spiritual forces of the Republic of Vietnam, not only was he who command but also in life who just heard his name, served in other units. Lifelong career soldiers, the medal for his name and carried on the person are changed by blood and sweat, with patriotism, the love of his army.

Old people said, can not bring success or failure that comment heroes. If the success or failure to mention the protection of historical, as Mai Thuc Loan, Tran Quang Dieu in our country or Quan Wu, Yue Fei in the Chinese have been failures. We now know just when people referred to General Ngo Quang head is bent in memory of a revered beliefs.

This general people and the army respected the South was the most endearing of natural stock. He lost, but fame will never be deleted in the small army of the Republic of Vietnam.

I want to push aside all the differences in opinion and feelings between people about this war and to note that, I love and honour those American soldiers as much I do to those South Vietnamese soldiers during that war. I grew up in that war and somehow I have come to love Americans as a part of my life…

There is no denial General Truong was one of the best, but then let’s not forget that without over 50,000 young American GIs lives wasted, South VietNam wouldn’t have lasted that long, not even until 1975. I myself had the privilege of fighting along side with these people and can’t really say enough about their sacrifice, their bravery. So, thank you, VietNam Vets, whoever and wherever you are. Personnaly, I feel indepted to you and your family for ever…

Belatedly, I came across the “Vietnam” article about General Ngo Quang Truong just today, 01/12/2011. Of course, General Truong was a well qualified ARVN hero as stated and I’ve had the pleasure and honor of meeting and visiting with him and his wife in San Francisco in 1990. After that visit, Truong sent me a copy of 4-star General Norman Schwarzkopf’s letter to him dated 26 February 1991, after Operation Desert Storm, that I would like to quote verbatim below:
“Dear General Truong,
“Thank you for your note. It makes me very proud that you are proud of me because you are one of my greatest teachers. Many of the strategies that I use everyday on this battlefield in the Middle East are things that you taught me so well 25 years ago when we were comrades at arms in Vietnam.
“It has always brought joy to me to know that you were able to escape to the United States, even though to this day one of the darkest days of my life was when your great country was overrun by the enemies from the north. Nevertheless, some of the proudest memories of my entire Army career have been, and always will be, those days when you and I fought side by side for the cause of Freedom.
“I hope that when this war is over we will have an opportunity to see each other some time.
“Sincerely, (signed) H. Norman Schwarzkopf, General, U.S. Army”
I told my friend General Truong that I could not control my tears after reading that heart-felt letter from a former American comrade-in-arms and co-warrior.

……the second time….when the US Congress and Nixon and clan were the Vietnamization of ARVN in disguise for the withdrawal of US Forces and cut off military aid 100% …and handed South VIET NAM to the communists…We.the people of South VIET NAM had nothing to do with friends and foes….No wonder why we had to fight Red China,France,Japan,North Viet Nam communists and the USA..
.We had fought and we had won !….Imperialism(s)is a calamity to small countries….ARVN f o u g h t
…fought…and fought….and the US media which were a bunch of liars had not intented to report the thruth to the American public,not only on ARVN and but also not the truth on US and Allied troops…But we kept fighting…fighting and with heroism…For a small country like South VIET NAM and with a bloody ennemy like communist from North Viet Nam and a friend like the US who first came voluntary in 1965 but were the first to run in 1973….we…the great ARVN….the mighty ARVN
….had succeded to become a giant by ourselves…And we had heroes !…the ARVN heroes !….From Soldiers to Officers to Generals.. that is the way…. and that was why we had fought foes and friends….Friends and foes had started a war in VIET NAM….and we had ended in glory….Like it or not…the ARVN and South Vietnamese people fought… blood spilled and lives lost…No award needed…Because we had become heroes ourselves….The South Vietnamese heroes are for the Free South Vietnamese ….just like our ancestors from dynasties did…. and for all Free Vietnamese Communities living overseas…from the land of the Eagles to the sho-
res of Australia…to the artic in Canada..to the land of the Eiffel Tower..to the land of the Rising Sun…to mighty Seoul…back to Europe in Brussels..Copenhagen..London…Munich…Berlin…Taipei..Manila..
Kuala Lumpur..Jakarta…Bangkok…Singapore…San Jose..Denver..New York City..Houston..San Diego..Oklahoma City…Wichita..Colorado Springs..Dallas…L.A…Washington,DC..
Phoenix..Portland..Vancouver.White Horse…Montreal…Sydney…
Melbourne….The South Vietnamese are free…free….The heroes are here and there……Thanks to Gen.Shwarkoff….Bill Laurie and many.many others who had to have known us…. who had written the truth on ARVN…and SAIGON and South VIET NAM…..The end…….

All this time , I thought it was the South Vietnamese that was corrupt and incompetent . But after I learned recently that it was the Americans that deliberately stop sending arms to Viet Nam after the Paris Peace Accord of 1973 , I was , and still disillusionned on why they abandoned their ally to the Communist north Vietnamese arter all those years of fighting together , spilling their sweat , blood and guts against the Communist North Vietnamese and the rest of the communist hordes .
Had the Americans at least , continue to supply arms and fighter aircrafts spare parts to the South Vietnamese , or like the present situation in the North African country of Libya , providing covering airstrikes for the Libyan rebels in their fight against the Gaddhafi regime , who knows ? the soverign nation of the Free Republic Of Viet Nam might still exists today as we speak

I was nothing but happened to be in the same military school: RVNAF Thu Duc Reserve Academy School as well as in the same class: IV Promotion -1953-54 with military cadet Ngo Quang Truong who later becomes a contemporary, Vietnamese military legend.

Together with other officers of the same class, it’s a great honor for us to recognize General Ngo Quang Truong as our military leader as well as tactical elite in Vietnam war.

Regarding the political front, the Vietnamese oversea are mostly without any real leadership. This is mainly due to their own selfishness governed by the self-centered Confucian basis that everyone is his or her own lord of the rest of the world. No wonder the country has been lost to the commies for almost 40 years with no hope of ever returning

Look at the recent event of the petition in US for Viet Khang, the singer imprisoned vy Vietnamese communist government. It was just a petition required the hundreds thousands of signatures so the White House would look at which they obviously ignored. Yet the Vietnamese
catholics at the time already spreaded out many emails encouraged their members to boycott other participants such as people from the Boatpoeple SOS, Viet-Tan, etc out of concern that these organizations are taking away the potential of the Viet catholic ‘ s power.

Such idiotic and self-serving actions can only be condemned at best that betray the trust of Vietnamese people and really help the communists to last longer. Boatpeople SOS is the organization that fought and freed many slave and sexually exploited workers exported by corrupted VC government labours’ programs. Viet-Tan was the Vietnamese nationalist patriotic movement that took arms to fight against communists in the 80s.

In the mean time, VCs are winning big times with their open arms programs soliciting oversea talents coming back home. It once again concretely proves that the way Viets oversea fighting by verbally self-praising and denouncing everyone who disagrees with them is not working. Vietnam ‘s democracy future is far away from bright or hopeful. There is no light at the end of the tunnel. If it ever comes, it is a train.

Wish we have lots of people like General Truong on the political front.

BS means what in english?
General Ngo Quang Truong is my true hero, forever. He had class and excelled during the war and still had class in exile. I hope one day his family will share other fine stories about this legendary hero. May he rest in peace.

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